A new innovative way to mainstream South-South and Triangular Cooperation

Recent global challenges caused by disruptions in the food supply chain have exposed the fragility of global food security and agrifood systems. Resourcing innovative ideas, in collaboration with global multistakeholders, is becoming increasingly important to ensure sustainable agrifood systems and food safety for all.

To this end, FAO’s South-South and Triangular Cooperation division (PST), in close coordination with the Regional Office for Near East and North Africa (NENA), the Food System and Food Safety Division, and the Office of Innovation, has operationalized a new Regional Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) project entitled: “Establishing Research Network and Food Safety Innovation Hub through South-South and Triangular Cooperation”.

The NENA TCP project, which was officially requested by the governments of Algeria, Jordan and Lebanon and welcomed by all the countries in the region, will spearhead innovation programs in managing food safety and quality systems to meet local needs and develop new solutions and services at the national or regional level. 

“The sharing of expertise and experiences among countries in the NENA region and with other global networks, will help in transferring knowledge and strengthen capacity of agrifood systems actors in order to develop, apply and scale-up good and promising food safety practices in a local context and for local needs.” FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Near East and North Africa Region (RNE), Abulhakim El Waer said concerning this new TCP SSTC project.

The project is another strong testament of FAO’s leadership in generating ground-breaking approaches and new ways of mainstreaming South-South and Triangular Cooperation. It is the first of its kind in the recent past, in mainstreaming SSTC in regional TCP projects.

“This TCP SSTC project will enable knowledge exchange, generation of data, sharing of best practices on food safety, the establishment of SSTC researcher’s network, and the harmonization and innovation across the NENA region to foster sustainable agrifood systems” PST Director, Anping Ye said about this new vital collaboration.

The regional network will serve as knowledge powerhouse on research, analysis, capacity building and policy  pathways for public and private sector, on issues related to agriculture trade and related policies.

In line with FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu’s motto of working together, learning together and contributing together for the benefit of FAO’s Member Countries, this project and its regional network will connect governments, research institutions, private sector, academia and other relevant stakeholders, to share experiences and innovations in food safety among the Global South and beyond. 

South-South and Triangular Cooperation has emerged as an important vehicle of FAO to accelerate development in flexible cooperation modalities. As such, this TCP SSTC project will foster the provisions of cost-effective and practical solutions to tackle regional priorities. It will also stimulate new SSTC types of engagement, by optimizing the available technical knowhow.